The historic Mexico City Stadium bids farewell to this edition of the FIFA World Cup on Saturday evening local time, as it hosts the anticipated clash between Mexico and England.

The two teams meet in a highly anticipated match in the Round of 16 of the World Cup currently being held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, as both seek a spot in the quarter-finals.

German Thomas Tuchel, England's head coach, said: 'It's a good moment to make peace with this stadium. It will reward us.'

Tuchel's comments came after England's hard-fought 2-1 victory over DR Congo last Wednesday in the Round of 32, setting up a meeting with Mexico in the next round in Mexico City.

Tuchel spoke of Mexico City Stadium as if it were a living entity, capable of reward and punishment. This statement alone shows how deeply the stadium's history is rooted in the memory of those who were once just fans, or grew up on stories told by those before them, and now write their own chapters on the world stage.

Before this edition, the last World Cup match hosted by this legendary stadium was the 1986 final, when the late Argentine star Diego Maradona reached the pinnacle of glory with his national team, setting up the title-winning goal for his teammate Jorge Burruchaga against West Germany.

In that same edition, England had lost to Argentina (the tango dancers) in the quarter-finals in an unforgettable match. Today, the two stories intersect again, with Tuchel admitting that he believes in 'karma'—that what one sows, they later reap.

Even back then, the Mexican crowd had mastered the art of intimidating opponents. It helped popularize the 'Mexican wave' globally, an idea that originated in the United States. Its vocal impact and collective rhythm showed its ability to move the entire stadium at will, and it also added chants that became part of popular culture, still present today.

Mexico coach Aguirre believes playing in Mexico City gives an extra advantage (AFP).

Although many of the stadium's greatest moments were not in favor of the home team, the relationship between Mexican fans and the stadium has developed over the years into something like a complete unity.

After a four-year renovation project that preserved the stadium's spirit, Mexico City Stadium (formerly Azteca) hosted 80,824 spectators in each of coach Javier Aguirre's three matches, with very limited presence of opposing fans, creating an atmosphere and pressure on opponents even before the starting whistle.

Aguirre, praising the importance of fan support, said in statements reported by FIFA's official website: 'The biggest difference, without a doubt, is playing at home. It's our 12th player. We know the entire country is behind us, and that gives us a huge motivation.'

Mexico has won all its four World Cup matches so far, sparking wild celebrations on the field. After a 2-0 win over Ecuador, images and videos spread of players singing and embracing fans, raising a simple question: Were the fans singing for the players, or were the players singing for the fans?

Fans interact enthusiastically with the team, constantly chanting famous national songs.

The impact of the atmosphere and stadium became a key topic of discussion in both countries. Speaking on the BBC, former England international stars Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney warned that playing at this historic stadium in front of this passionate crowd would be England's toughest test in the tournament.

Mexican stands... the home team's most prominent weapon against the English (Reuters).

For his part, Javier Hernández stated on Fox Sports, talking about the importance of playing at the historic Azteca Stadium: 'What that legendary stadium represents, the atmosphere you feel when it's full of Mexicans. In addition, the pitch is difficult due to the altitude and the physical exhaustion it causes. And of course, that makes the task more difficult.'

The visual archives, stories from that era, and the events themselves have created an aura of mystery around this giant edifice that has opened its doors to the world again. Ahead of the Round of 16 match, which will be the last game of the tournament on Mexican soil before the competition moves entirely to the United States, anticipation has reached its peak.

Tuchel revealed, referring to some challenges awaiting his team against Mexico: 'We will face an entire country, and we will play in front of a full stadium on their home soil.'

This comes at a time when Mexico has not lost any World Cup match on home soil, with their last defeat there dating back to 2013 against Honduras in the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Álvaro Fidalgo wrote on his Instagram account after scoring his first goal for Mexico against Czech Republic: 'Once you choose it, it never leaves you.'

Perhaps he meant the Mexican national team, but the phrase also applies to Mexico City Stadium itself: everyone who sets foot on this green rectangle falls under its spell forever.